Larnelle Harris will play the Peoria Civic Center Arena

2/4/2019

Gospel singer and songwriter Larnelle Harris will play the Peoria Civic Center Arena on Friday, June 7 at 7:30 p.m. Harris is a five-time Grammy Award winner and has won 11 Dove Awards - three of which were for Male Vocalist of the Year, and a Stellar Award for Best Solo Performance. He has achieved nineteen #1 radio singles and countless top 10 hits. Songs such as "How Excellent Is Thy Name," "I Miss My Time With You," "I've Just Seen Jesus," plus many others, including his signature song, "Amen," are now considered modern gospel music classics.

Joining Harris on stage will be the Voices of Bethel, the choir of Peoria Bethel UMC, and soprano vocalist Sarah Seymour, a member of Peoria First UMC. From the White House to the danger zone of the 38th Parallel, Larnelle has impacted audiences across the globe with his music. He was the first Christian artist to perform inside the Kremlin after the fall of the Soviet Union. He is one of a handful of celebrities to receive the Ad Council's Silver Bell Award for Distinguished Public Service in recognition of his song "Mighty Spirit" as the theme song for the longest-running Public Service Announcement in television history.

The concert is an event sponsored by the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of The United Methodist Church, the regional body of denomination in the southern two-thirds of Illinois. The event is underwritten by the Larson Trust of The United Methodist Foundation, the Peoria First UMC Foundation, Preachers’ Aid Society and Benefit Fund and GFI Digital, a business technology company specializing in copiers, managed print, information technology and network services.

Proceeds from ticket sales will be for the Our Conference, Our Kids campaign, a $2.5 million campaign to endow the chaplain and spiritual life ministries of five child and welfare agencies – The Baby Fold in Normal; Chaddock School in Quincy; Cunningham Children’s Home in Urbana; Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood in East St. Louis; and Spero Family Services in Mt. Vernon.

Tickets ranging from $25-$35 go on-sale to the public on Friday, March 1, 2019 at the Toyota Box Office inside the Peoria Civic Center or at www.ticketmaster.com.